Loading equipment for hopper craft

ABSTRACT

Listing of a hopper craft during loading is counteracted by directing the material to the higher side of the craft. Servomechanism tilts a distributor oppositely to the craft, through a weight-and-linkage system.

iiliiii ties tet [72] Inventor Robert De Groot lifiindlerdijlr, Netherlands [21] Appl. No. 45,972

[22] Filed June 15, 1970 [45] Patented Oct. 12, 1971 [73] Assignee N. V. llnrlustrieele lliandelscomhinatie, Netherllands [32] Priority June 16, 1969 [3 3] Netherlands [31] 69 09161 [54] LUAlDllNG EQUIPMENT FOR HOPPER CRAFT ii Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

52 user zit 1511i, 114/26 [51] Int. Cl 18631127/00 [50] Field ofSeareh 214/12,14, 15; 114/26; 37/58, 59

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,289,260 7/1962 Gerren 114/26 3,152,702 10/1964 Klemm et a1 214/176 Primary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza Assistant Examiner-Frank E. Werner Attorney-Young & Thompson AESTRACT: Listing of a hopper craft during loading is counteracted by directing the material to the higher side of the craft. Servomechanism tilts a distributor oppositely to the craft, through a weight-andlinkage system.

PATENTED mm 1 2mm $612,302 SHEET 10F 2 $056797 05 Q/PDOT BY r (7W ATTORNEYS PATENTEDnm 1 21911 3.16 1 2,302 SHEET 2 OF 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Ltlhlltllhlt; EQllIHIPMIENT ll tltllt lilt'ltll ll llillt tClitAlF'll The present invention relates to loading equipment for hopper craft of the type provided with a loading conduit which is centrally disposed above the hopper.

Loading craft of the type having a central loading conduit may become unstable when the craft lists. When the craft lists, the material falls from the central conduit to the lower side of the craft, which worsens the list.

It has been proposed to solve the problem of loading a listing craft, by providing two parallel conduits above the hopper and also a longitudinal partition centrally within the hopper. Flow of material through the conduits is controlled by means of valves, but these must be constantly monitored and even then do not completely solve the problem.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide loading equipment for hopper craft, in which a desirable distribution of the material being loaded will automatically be achieved when the craft lists.

it is also an object of the present invention to provide loading equipment for a hopper craft, which will be relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture and install, which will require a minimum of attention and maintenance, and which will be rugged and durable in use.

Briefly, the objects of the present invention are achieved by providing a distributor for the central conduit of a loading craft, with means so to move the distributor as to direct material toward the side of the craft opposite that which is lower when the craft lists. A servomechanism for moving the distributor is provided, which automatically alters the position of the distributor upon rolling motion of the craft about its longitudinal axis. This servomechanism may comprise a weight and a linkage system.

in a preferred form, the distributor has a wide mouth elongated in a horizontal direction, the distributor being mounted on the craft for vertical swinging movement about a horizontal axis that extends lengthwise of the craft, the servomechanism being adapted to tilt the wide mouth of the distributor in directions opposite to the direction of roll of the craft.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

H6. 11 is a somewhat schematic cross-sectional view through a hopper craft of the type to which the present invention may be applied, which hopper craft is loaded through a central overhead conduit;

FIG. 2 is a schematic top plan view of a distributor according to the present invention;

lFlG. It is a side elevational view of the structure shown in 1 16.2;

FiG. l is a view similar to HG. l but showing the distributor of FIGS. 2 and it applied thereto and hence illustrating the combination of the present invention; and

FIG. is a schematic view of a weight-and-linlrage servomechanism for swinging the distributor in the direction opposite the direction of roll of the craft.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, and first to H6. ll, there is shown a hopper craft l listing in the water and having two air chambers 2 and It with a hold or hopper 4i therebetween. Hopper d is loaded through a horizontal conduit 5 which is centrally disposed above the hopper and extends fore and aft of the craft. The longitudinal vertical midplane of the craft is indicated at X-)t.

in the absence of the present invention, material loaded through conduit d would tend to fall in the direction of the arrow ti, toward the lower side of the hopper. The list of the vessel would accordingly be worsened.

According to the present invention, however, a distributor 7 is provided for the material from conduit s. Distributor 7 has an outlet ti in the form of a horizontally elongated slot and is mounted for vertical swinging movement about a horizontal axis lying in the plane it-0i, by means of a pivotal connection it. The path of flow of material through conduit 55 and out through distributor 7 is indicated sequentially by the arrows tm, 45b and dc.

n example of servomechanlsm to swing distributor 7 oppositely from the list of the craft is shown in H6. 5. A weight illil depends from a rod ill which is connected to distributor 7 through further rods l2 and H3 that together comprise a linkage system. ltod Jill is pivotally mounted on the craft at fixed pivot lid for vertical swinging movement about a horizontal axis which is parallel to plane X-)( and disposed intermediate the ends of the rod ll ll. Rod llll is pivotally connected to rod 12 at l5, and rod 112 is pivotally connected to rod 13 at 116. Rod H3 is rigidly connected to distributor 7. The distances between the connections lid, l5, lid and 9 are so chosen that the angular rate of tilt of distributor 7 is substantially greater than that of the craft upon listing. Specifically, the vertical distance from lid to id is greater than the vertical distance from 9 to lid.

in operation, when the craft lists, weight lltl tries to retain its original position and tries to maintain rod llll upright. in so doing, however, rod 113 and distributor 7 are swung toward or away from rod llll, because the vertical distance between connections M and 115 is greater than that between connections 9 and lid. Hence the distributor 7 is not maintained merely upright, but rather is tilted in a direction opposite to the list of the craft.

From a consideration of the foregoing disclosure therefore, it will be understood that all of the initially recited objects of the present invention have been achieved.

Although the present invention has been described and illustrated in connection with preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, as those sltilled in this art will readily understand. For example, although a weight-and-linkage servomechanism for tilting distributor 7 has been disclosed, it will of course be understood that other mechanisms, or hydraulic or pneumatic or electrical systems, may be used to perform the same function. These and other modifications and variations are considered to be within the purview and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. Loading equipment for a craft having a hopper, comprising a material-loading conduit which is centrally disposed above the hopper, a distributor for directing material from the conduit toward one side or the other of the hopper, and means responsive to list of the craft to move the distributor to direct material toward the higher side of the hopper.

2.. Loading equipment as claimed in claim ll, said responsive means comprising weight means mounted for vertical swinging movement on and relative to the craft about a horizontal axis parallel to the length of the craft, and link means interconnecting the weight means and the distributor.

3. Loading equipment as claimed in claim 2, and means mounting said distributor for vertical swinging movement on and relative to the craft about a horizontal axis parallel to the length of the craft.

4!. Loading equipment as claimed in claim 3, said distributor having a horizontally elongated outlet that inclines oppositely as the craft.

5. Loading equipment as claimed in claim t, said link means comprising means to tilt the distributor at an angle opposite to and greater than the angle at which the craft lists.

ti. Loading equipment as claimed in claim l, and means mounting said distributor for vertical swinging movement on and relative to the craft about a horizontal axis parallel to the length of the craft.

'7. Loading equipment as claimed in claim 6, said distributor having a horizontally elongated outlet that inclines oppositely as the craft.

Loading equipment as claimed in claim '7, said responsive means tilting the distributor at an angle opposite to and greater than the angle at which the craft lists.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION 3,612,302 Dated October 12, 1971 Patent No.

Robert De Groot It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Inventor(s) 0n the cover sheet, the name of the Asaignee should read N.V. Industrieele Handelscombinatie Holland Signed and sealed this 24th day of October 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer USCOMM-DC 60376-F69 0 u 5 GOVERNMENT PRmTmo OFFICE one O-3i533l ORM PO-1050 (10-69) 

1. Loading equipment for a craft having a hopper, comprising a material-loading conduit which is centrally disposed above the hopper, a distributor for directing material from the conduit toward one side or the other of the hopper, and means responsive to list of the craft to move the distributor to direct material toward the higher side of the hopper.
 2. Loading equipment as claimed in claim 1, said responsive means comprising weight means mounted for vertical swinging movement on and relative to the craft about a horizontal axis parallel to the length of the craft, and link means interconnecting the weight means and the distributor.
 3. Loading equipment as claimed in claim 2, and means mounting said distributor for vertical swinging movement on and relative to the craft about a horizontal axis parallel to the length of the craft.
 4. Loading equipment as claimed in claim 3, said distributor having a horizontally elongated outlet that inclines oppoSitely as the craft.
 5. Loading equipment as claimed in claim 4, said link means comprising means to tilt the distributor at an angle opposite to and greater than the angle at which the craft lists.
 6. Loading equipment as claimed in claim 1, and means mounting said distributor for vertical swinging movement on and relative to the craft about a horizontal axis parallel to the length of the craft.
 7. Loading equipment as claimed in claim 6, said distributor having a horizontally elongated outlet that inclines oppositely as the craft.
 8. Loading equipment as claimed in claim 7, said responsive means tilting the distributor at an angle opposite to and greater than the angle at which the craft lists. 